Plant Foods for Human Nutrition

, Volume 69, Issue 3, pp 255–260 | Cite as

Analysis of Biologically Active Oxyprenylated Ferulic Acid Derivatives in Citrus Fruits

  • Salvatore Genovese
  • Serena Fiorito
  • Marcello Locatelli
  • Giuseppe Carlucci
  • Francesco Epifano
Original Paper
First Online:

Abstract

4′-Geranyloxyferulic (GOFA) and boropinic acid have been discovered during the last decade as interesting phytochemicals having valuable pharmacological effects as cancer chemopreventive, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and anti-Helicobacter pylori agents. A reverse-phase HPLC-UV/Vis method for the separation and quantification of the title oxyprenylated ferulic acid derivatives in extracts obtained from peels of nine edible Citrus and Fortunella fruits was successfully applied. Concentration values showed a great variation between the different species, being orange (C. sinensis) the fruit richest in GOFA (0.141 ± 0.011 mg/g of exocarp fresh weight) and kumquat (Fortunella japonica) the one in which boropinic acid was recorded as the most abundant phytochemical (0.206 ± 0.002 mg/g of exocarp fresh weight). Both secondary metabolites were not detected only in three species. The set-up methodology showed limits of quantification (LOQ) values, that were able to selectively quantify both GOFA and boropinic acid. Results described herein depict a potential chemopreventive dietary feeding role for the Rutaceae spp. under investigation.

Keywords

Boropinic acid Citrus spp 4′-Geranyloxyferulic acid Rutaceae 

Abbreviations

GOFA

4′-Geranyloxyferulic acid

HPLC

High performance liquid chromatography

LC

Liquid chromatography

LOD

Limit of detection

LOQ

Limit of quantification

ND

Not detected

QC

Quality control

RP

Reverse phase

RSD

Relative standard deviation

R.t.

Room temperature

SD

Standard deviation

S/N

Signal to noise

Spp.

Species

UV

Ultraviolet

Vis

Visible

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Notes

Acknowledgments

Financial support to this research from the University “G. D’Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara was gratefully acknowledged. Authors wish to thank Angela Cammisa and Paolo Di Vincenzo for their friendly and active collaboration to this work.

Conflict of Interest

All authors confirmed that they have no conflict of interest.

Studies with Humans or Animals

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects.

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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media New York 2014

Authors and Affiliations

  • Salvatore Genovese
    • 1
  • Serena Fiorito
    • 1
  • Marcello Locatelli
    • 1
  • Giuseppe Carlucci
    • 1
  • Francesco Epifano
    • 1
  1. 1.Dipartimento di FarmaciaUniversità “G. d’Annunzio” Chieti-PescaraChieti ScaloItaly

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